Former treasurer charged with stealing from theater group

WOODSTOCK – A former treasurer of a local theater group who was dismissed by the organization early this year has been charged with stealing more than $5,600 from it.

Kelly K. Waterman, 40, of 3021 Crescent Ave., McHenry, was charged Tuesday morning with theft of more than $500, a Class 3 felony, Woodstock Police Sgt. Chip Amati said. She will have to post 10 percent, or $2,000, of her $20,000 bail to be released.

Waterman “knowingly exerted unauthorized control over property of Townsquare Players Inc.,” according to the criminal complaint. Townsquare Players is a nonprofit community theater group that operates at the Woodstock Opera House.

Townsquare Players President Paul Lockwood said organization members discovered their bank account had been cleaned out Dec. 31, and they voted to dismiss Waterman as treasurer a day later.

The theft allegedly occurred around Sept. 13, according to the complaint. Amati said he was unable to answer specific questions about the case Tuesday afternoon.

“We are doing the best we can to get the theater group back to where we need to be, and hopefully even a better place so that we can continue to present the excellent productions we do,” Lockwood said.

“The arts are typically run on a shoestring,” Lockwood said. “We have a smaller shoestring right now.”
Lockwood said the organization is encouraged by attendance at its current show, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.”

“We hope that our final weekend we can see a lot more supporters in the audience,” he said.

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